Mr Banes IL gun locked up....again.

[18DAI]

I just read on another gun board, a post by Mr. Michael Bane.

Seems he was shooting his S&W 329PD yesterday using 240 grain 44 magnums, when its internal lock engaged on it's own..... AGAIN!!!

Difference is, this time his TV crew caught the incident on film.

I'm sure that despite this IL malfunction being caught on film there will still be the usual suspects who deny IL failures occur with any frequency. Tell that to Michael Bane.

 

[NoAlibi]

Where or when will we be able to see this film?

 

[18DAI]

He says, on the other board, that he is in the process of making it available and will post it there. My understanding is that there is a prohibition on linking to other forums threads, or I'd give the link address.

 

[cottonmouth]

I hope they add it to the show!

J.B.

 

[earlthegoat2]

nothing against PMing the link.

 

[18DAI]

Update: Mr. Bane is converting the filmed incident with the IL 329PD to an mpeg for posting on the other board. In addition the footage will be shown as it occured on the TV show Down Range.

I hope he sends it to S&W and posts it on Youtube. Maybe then this abomination that is the internal lock will finally be eliminated.

 

[Hawk]

Maybe then this abomination that is the internal lock will finally be eliminated.

We may dream as much but if it's the same S&W that locked up the first time it was worked on by an aftermarket gunsmith and buttoned back up.

It's my understanding that the gunsmith is acknowledged as one of the best out there but that won't change anybody's position regarding stock revolvers.

Michael Bane is honest and made plain that Jim Stroh had worked over the original. Maybe it's a different 329?

 

[JAV8000]

That's what you get for shooting .44 mags out of super-light

On a serious note though, it doesn't seem like the smaller caliber scandium/aluminum frame guns have this problem. I have yet to have any trouble with my 638. I have also heard this problem could be linked to improper assembly of the locking mechanism at the factory.

Anyways, I'll stick to all steel guns in anything .357 mag and up thanks.

 

[GJgo]

I *had* a S&W 357PD (41 mag) that the IL would enagage on its own with hot loads. I also *had* a scandium .357 mag J frame S&W that would half-cock the hammer and lock up from the recoil of full house loads. No suprise here..

 

[Guillermo]

GJgo,

Obviously you are not telling the truth. According to the Smith & Clinton apologists it never happened.

Don't you know that guns and drugs/alcohol don't mix?

just kidding, of course. But one of two things is going to happen. The Smith apologists are going to ether jump on you or pretend that you don't exist.

Glad that garbage gun is no longer in your posession

 

[hanno]

I had a Model 67 with the IL. It never locked up on me but I sold it anyway. The IL is a solution in search of a problem. Now all my S&W wheelguns are pre-lock.

 

[Guillermo]

http://michaelbane.blogspot.com/2007/08/s-revolver-safety-failure.html

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/500103904/m/228102718/p/1

 

[pinkymingeo]

I don't understand refusing to have a IL gun on operational grounds. It takes only a few minutes to disable the thing. That's the first thing I do with IL revolvers. Do I like the lock? No. Is it ugly? Yes. I can understand not buying guns that you think are ugly, or that come from a manufacturer you have philosophical differences with, but unintentional lockups are easily, quickly, 100% preventable.

 

[rhinoh]

So how does one disable it on a new J frame? I just bought two, one for me and one for the wife...we don't need no stinkin' lock

BTW Giullermo- the second linky no worky.

 

[pinkymingeo]

I think there's a FAQ here on it, and the info is also at smith-wessonforum. The action is locked by a nub on the "flag" that sits beside the hammer. All that's necessary is to remove the flag, grind the nub flat, and replace the flag. The gun looks stock, but cannot lock.

 

[Guillermo]

Pinky,

In addition to the annoying fact that you have to disable the damned thing that shouldn't be there in the first place there are liability issues.

To me none of it matters. The stupid hole is a reminder of Smith putting on the knee pads and capitulating to the Clintons. As long as it is there I will never buy anything from them, including pistols.

Would love to have a Smith AR or an M&P 45 but would rather send my money to Obama's re-election campaign. Smith was traitorous.

 

[pinkymingeo]

Like I was saying, philosophical differences.... Actually I wouldn't buy a IL gun either if it weren't for the Ti/scan guns which suit my needs perfectly, but aren't available lockless. I've had as many as five at any given time, but have dropped to three: 340PD, 360PD and 625-10. There's just no other source for 12oz 357s and 23oz 45acp revolvers. I console myself that the lock doesn't look nearly as bad on black aluminum as it does on steel.

 

[Hawk]

I don't post on this mysterious "other forum" but I note someone has already chimed in with the observation: "...Then suggest the gun was somehow doctored with or the ammo was the problem."

I can't see the fact that is was "doctored with" going over well. I certainly don't wish to rain on their parade. Anybody else may feel free to point it out over there but I'm not about to bag on the evidence in a first post - especially since I don't like the lock and just don't feel like being accused of loving it so early in the week. Problem is, I like unmodified firearms for evidence more than I don't like locks. Barely.

But the original blog entry on the lock failure is pretty clear:
http://michaelbane.blogspot.com/2007/08/s-revolver-safety-failure.html

Doom on Mikey! I went out today to shot some .44 Magnums through several guns, including my ultralight-weight 329PD overhauled by Jim Stroh at Alpha Precision. I've put a bunch of .44 Specials through the gun already, and in truth I took it along as a "control" to compare the newer guns to.

I don't appreciate the lock either but I'd have preferred a different one be filmed as "lock poster child". Given the number of 3xxPDs that have done so, it shouldn't be that big of a trick. Heck, I'd even kick in if we passed the hat to buy M. Bane a stock 329 to film.

It would even be preferable if the thing had been sent back to S&W after it misbehaved the first time but, so far as I can tell, it's only Jim Stroh that's opened it up.

One nice side effect is that the mysterious "hammer back" phenomenon has been caught on tape. Some members here have gone round and round on how a hammer can even get there against mainspring pressure unless the trigger is being pulled - not lock related but something that's never been satisfactorily addressed. Catching a "hammer back" is like film of Nessie - interesting stuff.